Combination buttonhook and zipper puller

ABSTRACT

A combination buttonhook and zipper puller having a tapered elongated portion can be inserted in buttonholes of different sizes to grasp buttons of different sizes for buttoning. A discontinuity in the outer periphery of the invention permits the tapered elongated portion to be formed in the shape of a hook for inserting into a zipper handle for raising or lowering a zipper.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This invention is a novel combination buttonhook and zipper puller thatis suitable for use by persons whose strength or dexterity in fasteninga button through a buttonhole, or in grasping a zipper handle foropening or closing a slide fastener, may be temporarily or permanentlydiminished. It is also suitable for use by persons who are temporarilyunwilling to perform such actions, such as persons who have recentlyapplied a fresh coat of fingernail polish and wish to avoid its becomingmarred by coming into contact with articles of clothing. In either case,it may be desirable for a person to perform the functions of buttoning abutton, or raising or lowering a zipper, using an implement designed forthat purpose.

Buttonhooks known in the prior art typically consisted of a thin shaftterminating at the extreme end in a hook shape, such as is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,732,447 to Nolen et al. Other buttonhooks, however, suchas that depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,131 to Johansson, terminate in aloop that fits over and around a button. When buttoning a button, thehook- or loop-end of the shaft of such buttonhooks is inserted through abuttonhole, hooked or looped around the thread holding a button to theimmediately adjacent fabric, and withdrawn back through the buttonhole,bringing the button along with it. Some prior art buttonhooks having ahook-end may also have been suitable for the purpose of pulling a zipperhandle by inserting the hook-end through a hole in the zipper handle,such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,312 to Kabat, or U.S. Pat.No. 6,112,958 to LaMacchia et al. In all such cases, however, it wasnecessary for the user of the device to grip a handle with the thumb andfingers in order to cause the zipper to be raised or lowered, or tomanipulate the buttoning of a button.

Buttonhooks having an elongated shaft and a hook-end have also been usedin lacing or unlacing bootlaces. The elongated shaft and hook-end of thebuttonhook enabled a person to reach and grasp bootlaces for tighteningor loosening without having to reach the lowermost laces with the hands.This use of the buttonhook, however, has declined as the popularity ofboots having laces has declined through the general population.

Although buttonhooks have retained their essential usefulness infastening buttons, they are inconvenient to carry, being too long to fitconveniently in a pocket or purse, and are not usable by persons who areunable to grip the handle with sufficient strength to use the device.What is needed is a buttonhook that may be used with a minimal amount ofdexterity and strength, that is useful for other tasks in addition tofastening buttons, and that is of a suitable size and shape for carryingin a pocket or purse. The combination buttonhook and zipper puller ofthis invention may be used for buttoning buttons or raising or loweringzippers. It also may be used for performing other functions such asretaining keys or displaying small items of artwork or memorabilia, anddoes not require the user to come into contact with clothing or to havethe strength needed to grip and pull a zipper or button.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The device of this invention has a tapered, elongated portion forms thata loop suitable for inserting through a buttonhole, placing around abutton, and pulling the button back through the buttonhole. The otherend of the device has an oval grasping ring to which a pulling force maybe applied simply by inserting the fingers or thumb through the ringwithout the need for a separate handle. The device is made from one ormore wire-like strands that form the shape of the device. One or moreinternal supports may be utilized to provide rigidity or to permitflexibility to perform a variety of functions. The grasping ring ismoderately rigid, having some flexion, and may also be used to retainkeys, a whistle, or other items of suitable size and shape. Two or threefingers of the user's hand may be placed through the ring to apply apulling force without the need to flex the muscles controlling thefingers and thumb. The tapered, elongated portion of the device has astrands forming opposite sides of the device. One strand extends all ofthe way down one side of the device and curves to form a hook at theextreme tapered end, meeting the other strand a short distance from thehook-end. The two strands normally meet to form a smooth junction inwhich one strand has a slightly narrowed end and mates with a receivingchannel formed at the end of the other strand. The strands of theelongated portion have a slight flexion applied to them by the graspingring. This flexion maintains the strands in a secure, closed positionwhen the end of one strand is seated within the receiving channel on theother strand, and holds the strands open when they are not matedtogether.

In operation as a buttonhook, the elongated end may be inserted througha buttonhole, looped around a button, and pulled back through the hole,all with little or no grasping or pulling force being required from themuscles controlling the finger and thumb. The flexible structure andtapered shape permit the device to be used in buttonholes of smallsizes. When the device is used in a smaller-sized buttonhole, thetapered end is inserted and moved in the direction of the button. As thedevice moves toward the button, the distance between the tapered strandswidens to approach the maximum slit length of the buttonhole. If furthermovement toward the button is needed, the strands may be squeezed byhand or through the action of forcing them through the buttonhole toallow further insertion of the tapered end through the buttonhole. Itwill then be possible to loop the extreme end of the device around thebutton to be pulled through the buttonhole, either by squeezing thestrands to cause them to open and form a hook that can be looped aroundthe button, or simply by slipping the end of the device over the button.In either case, the button may then be pulled back through thebuttonhole. The grasping ring is large enough to receive fingers or athumb, and force may be applied to it from the base of the fingers orthumb without applying significant “pincer” force through the thumb andfingers. The shape of the device also makes it possible for a button tobe hooked and buttoned without fingertips (or fingernails having wetpolish on them) coming into close proximity to the button, buttonhole,or surrounding fabric.

When used as a zipper puller, the strands are briefly compressed tounseat them, and then are allowed to open under the spring extensionforce created by the grasping ring. The hook-end of one strand may beinserted through the hole at the extreme end of the zipper handle, andthe sliding mechanism may be raised or lowered by pulling the oval ringupward or downward by fingers or a thumb inserted through the ring.Again, muscles controlling the thumb and fingers will require onlyminimal exertion, as the pulling force can be applied through the ringwithout the need for thumb and fingers to pinch the zipper handle. Also,as previously described, the device can be used without the need forfingertips or wet fingernails to come into close proximity to the zipperor surrounding fabric.

The device of this invention can also be used as a key holder or can beinserted through an ornamental device, such as woven or knitted fabric,strands of yarn, or a wooden or plastic badge. The use of such a deviceprovides an additional gripping area, if such is desired, and may helpto identify or locate the device if it should become buried within apurse or pocket.

It is an object of this invention to provide a buttoning device for useby persons who are unable or unwilling to grasp a button and surroundingfabric, and to manipulate them to cause the button to pass through abuttonhole.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a buttoning devicethat will fasten a button within a buttonhole, regardless of the size ofthe button or the buttonhole, so long as the button and buttonhole areappropriately matched.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a device forraising or lowering a zipper or slide fastener without requiring thefingers to grip the zipper handle.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully explained inthe accompanying brief description of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the device of this invention in which thestrands are closed.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device of this invention in which thestrands are open.

FIG. 3 depicts the device of this invention being inserted through abuttonhole.

FIG. 4 a shows the device of this invention in proximity to the handleof a slide fastener.

FIG. 4 b is a detailed view of the device of this invention engagedthrough the hole of a handle of a slide fastener.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the seating mechanism between two strandsof the device of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the combination buttonhook and zipper puller of thisinvention 10 is depicted in FIG. 1. The device has an oval grasping ring20 of sufficient size to receive adult human fingers or thumb. Althoughdepicted as an oval in FIG. 1, the grasping ring may be of anyconvenient shape, so long as the size admits of receiving one or moreadult human fingers or a thumb. The device has an elongated and taperedportion 30 formed of strands 30 and 60. The extreme end of the elongatedportion 40 forms a rounded end whose width is sufficiently narrow to fitwithin a small buttonhole. Strands 30 and 60 are semi-flexible, beingmade of wire or plastic filament, or some other suitable substance, andare releasably joined at seating element 50. Strands 30, 60 are held ina joined or seated position through an outwardly-directed extensionforce produced by grasping ring 20.

The grasping ring and elongated portions are moderately flexible, andare made of metal, plastic, or some other substance capable ofresilience, or “springiness” to resume an original shape after beingheld in compression or flexion for long lengths of time. Extreme end 40may be made of metal, plastic, or some other substance, and must havesufficient rigidity to maintain a curved shape during the application ofa pulling force, such as would be encountered when raising or lowering asliding fastener. Seating element 50 is formed at the end of one of thetwo strands, 30 or 60, and acts as a “seat” or channel to receive theend of the other strand.

FIG. 2 shows the device of this invention 10 in which the two strands30, 60 are separated at the point where their ends meet 50 to form anopening. As shown in FIG. 2, strand 60 has moved inwardly with respectto strand 30, and the curved shape at the end of the elongated portion40 now forms a hook. Under normal operation, the device will assume theconfiguration shown in FIG. 2 when a squeezing force is applied to theupper portions of strands 30, 60. A supplementary support member 70 isshown within the grasping ring to provide additional support to thedevice. Additional support, such as is provided by support member 70,may be used to provide more rigidity to the device, or to add additionaltension or flexion forces to the opening and closing action of strands30, 60. It will be apparent that the amount of squeezing force necessaryto open or close the area between strands 30, 60 will depend upon thedistance between the point at which the squeezing force is applied andthe grasping ring. A greater force will be required as the squeezingaction is applied at a point that is closer to the grasping ring 20.Where the finger and hand strength of the person using the device is aconsideration, the strands 30, 60 may be made longer, and the tensionrequired to squeeze them will be correspondingly less if the point ofsqueezing is moved closer to the end 40.

FIG. 3 demonstrates one of the uses for the device of this invention. InFIG. 3, the device is being inserted through a buttonhole 90, and hasbeen looped or hooked around a button 80. An attachment depicted as aseries of rings 140 is interconnected at grasping ring 20. Although theattachment is depicted as a series of rings 140, it may be some otherornament or practical item (such as keys), or it may be a lanyard orother means for holding or carrying the device, or for attachingadditional items to it.

One of the uses of the invention is demonstrated in FIG. 3, in which thebuttonhole is too small to receive the tapered end of the device withoutsqueezing it slightly. Even though the strands 30, 60 must be squeezedto fit fully through the buttonhole, they are still able to performtheir function of grabbing the button and pulling it back through thebuttonhole by hooking end 40 about the thread beneath the button.Although the device of this invention may permit the strands 30, 60 nearthe end 40 to capture a button by passing on either side of it beforedrawing it back through the buttonhole, the squeezable strands 30, 60allow a single device to accommodate buttons of practically any size. Bysqueezing the strands, the device may be made to fit through abuttonhole that may be too small. By forming an opening 50, and a hookat end 40, the device may capture a button that is too large to fitbetween the strands when seated in their closed position. Where thestrands have been squeezed for either of these reasons, they will resumetheir normal, seated positioning with respect to one another as thedevice is being withdrawn from the buttonhole, thus presenting a smoothsurface to the buttonhole where the connection point contacts thefabric.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b depict the device of the invention being used as azipper puller. In FIG. 4 a, a slide fastener 100 is shown midway along atrack 110 having fabric attached to either side. In order to capture thezipper handle, the strands 30, 60 must be opened to form an opening 50just above the lower end of the device 40. In FIG. 4 b, strand 30 hasbeen placed through the hole 130 in the handle 120 of the zipper 100. Inthis position, the grasping ring may be pulled simply by placing one ortwo fingers, or a thumb, through the ring and pulling. There is no needfor the thumb and fingers to pinch the handle, nor for the fingertips orfingernails to touch the zipper handle to raise or lower the zipper.When the zipper has reached a desired position, the device of theinvention may be removed simply by squeezing strands 30, 60 and allowingthe zipper handle to slip off the device through the opening 50.

As shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, the device has been opened through asqueezing force having been applied to strands 30, 60. The strands willnormally be reseated during the raising or lowering of the zipper,although the precise configuration during that action is a matter ofchoice and convenience to the user.

FIG. 5 shows one configuration for releasably connecting strands 30, 60.In FIG. 5, strand 60 has been moved slightly out of seating channel 140which forms the end of strand 30. As strand 60 is moved slightly up ordown with respect to the plane of the drawing, it will have sufficientspace to pass by seating channel 170 without engaging it, in the mannerof a safety pin. When it is desired to reconnect strands 30, 60, thestrands will be squeezed to bring the respective ends in proximity and,with a slight upward or downward movement, as described above, strand 60may be brought into a position in which the natural extension forcebeing applied by grasping ring 20 causes the end of strand 60 to becomeand remain seated within seating channel 140. It will be understood bypersons of skill in the art that the specific embodiments shown anddescribed are not the sole means for practicing this invention. Forexample, although seating of strands 30, 60 have been described asapplying a force to urge strand 60 outwardly with respect to strand 30,strands 30, 60 could be aligned and seated such that the force urgedstrand 60 inwardly with respect to strand 30, and this, and otherembodiments, would fall within the spirit and scope of the invention,which is limited only by the following claims:

1. A combination buttonhook and zipper puller comprising: a graspingring; an elongate portion having a periphery and being joined to saidgrasping ring; said periphery of said elongate portion being formed oftwo corresponding and opposing strands; one of said corresponding andopposing strands being shorter in length and extending part of thelength of said elongate portion and having a terminus; one of saidcorresponding and opposing strands being longer in length and extendingthe full length of said elongate portion to form an end portion andfurther extending from said end portion and having a terminus at a pointnear said terminus of said shorter corresponding and opposing strand;said two corresponding and opposing strands being releasably joined neartheir said respective termini; said periphery formed by saidcorresponding and opposing strands being tapered toward said endportion.
 2. The combination buttonhook and zipper puller of claim 1further comprising said grasping ring having an opening of sufficientdimension for a human digit to extend therethrough.
 3. The combinationbuttonhook and zipper puller of claim 2 further comprising said graspingring having an oval shape.
 4. The combination buttonhook and zipperpuller of claim 2 further comprising one or more internal supportingmembers.
 5. The combination buttonhook and zipper puller of claim 2wherein said grasping ring further comprises a holder for releasablyretaining accessories upon said grasping ring.
 6. The combinationbuttonhook and zipper puller of claim 2 wherein said corresponding andopposing strands comprise a first and second strand, the terminus ofsaid first strand further comprising a seating channel; said seatingchannel releasably receiving the terminus of said second strand suchthat, when said first and second strands are connected, said peripheryof said elongate portion is smooth and continuous, and when said strandsare not connected, said periphery forms a discontinuous opening betweenthe termini of said first and second strands.
 7. The combinationbuttonhook and zipper puller of claim 6 wherein, when said grasping ringis in a relaxed state, said terminus of said first strand is spacedapart from said terminus of said second strand, and when said termini ofsaid first and second strands are connected, said grasping ring is in astate of tension.
 8. The combination buttonhook and zipper puller ofclaim 7 further comprising said seating channel at said terminus of saidfirst strand forming an arcuate surface having a partial circumferenceof not more than approximately 190 degrees, said seating channelreceiving said terminus of said second strand and holding said terminusagainst tension applied by said grasping ring.
 9. The combinationbuttonhook and zipper puller of claim 8 further comprising said terminusof said second strand having a diameter that is smaller than thediameter of said arcuate surface of said seating channel.
 10. Acombination buttonhook and zipper puller comprising a grasping portionand an elongated portion, said grasping portion having an opening ofsufficient size to receive a human digit, said elongated portion havinga periphery formed by two segments of a filament, said segments beingtapered and one of said segments forming a rounded end, said segmentsbeing releasably joined near said rounded end such that, when saidfilaments are joined, said periphery forms a smooth, continuous surface,and when said filaments are not joined, said periphery becomesdiscontinuous and the portion of said filament segment comprising saidrounded end forms a hook, said grasping portion being deformable andresilient such that said segments of said filament may be joined andreleased when pressure is applied at opposite sides of said elongatedportion.